The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-09

arts, science and state medicine. He ther
TOOK up the efforts OF anCicnts 10 guard
against premature burial following il
closely, but briefly, up TO the present time.
Among the first TO Introduce the burial
permit system in this country was DR.
pranVllle i. Conn, president OF the State
board OF health of New Hampshire, the
CITY council Of Dover adopting the suggcs-
uon and passing necessary amend
ments TO the city ordinances. Con
unning the essayist read: "The
inspection and examination Of the bodies
OF deceased persons IL necessary for tho
following reasons ~ II is the best safe
guard against the possibility of premature
burial. and also that the apparently dead
may not be placed in cold rooms or on ice
and frozen TO death (2) Cases Of con
ccaicd contagious and infectious diseases
VIII be detected, and and an epidemic
may he averted. 90 Murdcrand suicide
may be detected, and ii cremation, the
surest method for the destruction OF disease
germs is generally established; there will
be also less danger that the body OF n
murdered person win be cromatcd, and
the crime concealed. (4) Life insurance
frauds may be prevented, (5) Where
the fear exists Of being buried alive, the
family physician can overcome that
lear by that examination, and his
assurance that the loved one il dead (6)
In order to sign certificate for burial
permit legally, that inspection gives the
most important evidence. Ii physician
gives his signature 10 such q certificate
| without seeing the body, he may be
brought in the following unpleasant posi-.
ton: lie IL called into court, the certificate
| lui Igl.ua tl... ul.I
| did you sign that certificate? Answer, yes.
llld you know that the person was dead?
Ihc onl answer could be- the undertaken
or somebody informed me. Then the cul-
prit is brought before him and the fact re-
veaisci ;hs; he indirectly aided criminal
who tried 10 dciraud life insurance com
pnny.
The gentleman closed by citing nearly
all known methods whereby lingering
sparksOl life in n supposed corpse might be
rckindlcd, and the great rejoicing caused
among humanity that the time had come
when state medicine can and does receive
more attention. The paper was accepted.
4 DouBLE-BARRELED PAPER.
''Thc Origin Of Some Diseases" and
The Prevention Of Myrophytic Diseases
by Individual ProphyaXis,' 10y Ezra NJ
Hunt MD, secretary State board OF
health, New jersey, was the next paper
read, and accepted. lie showed how the
study of epidcmiology had enlarged the
number oil contagious diseases, aud now
| showed that many diseases once regarded
~ constitutional or septic were in reality
! specific and pathogcnic, or mostly para
site. The prevention and Limitation OF
| this elias. Of maladics must ever. therefore.
-
! who study the causes, the courses and the
results ui disease. The study Of their emit
ulpgy j. always fundamental inquiry.
though there are limited exceptions, bascd
upon proper understanding ol the term.
The best that We can generally hope IL To
find the conditions physical. chemical or
biological. in which phenomena inaniics,
themselves. The word cause" is ircqucntly
used with different meanings, and some
times IN the same sentence. A case OF
some new disease may put in an appear
ancc, ~ did cholera on the Gangcs, or a
ease Of known and existing disease
may happen that IL not derived
from another precisely like II, but
occurs because analogous conditions
Ia thusc which gave rise 10 the first ease
oi the Kind have ngnin occurred, and pro-
duccd u pronounced deviation l) There
Is such thing as evolution, which, while
recognizing an original type, also rrcug-
nizcs dcga:turus lrIm tho Worn which
mny have come 10 DC 80 rcprrsentativo
and paramount ns Ia constitute ncryncss
In all essential Particular t2) The his
tory Of hyhrids, the socaicd accidents Of
their occurrence, and the fertility OF nv
birds IL such, that We are forced 10 look
upon them as now forms Of liic-as be.
coming established into mn autonomy or
individuality Of their own. Both oi those
propositions were lcamcdly established,
and the cyayisi then took up the follow.
ing practical results
81. The study IT parasites, or germs ns
they are called, Is only one Of the methods
ol ininminpOuusplypsas 10 the phenomena
oi disease, and In iucli is not likely 10 bo
the key to rational aud successful treat
mrui.
go. Our Ht,cntion should bc directed.
| lur mpr than now, To the study ~ cnndi-
| lions and circumstances under which new
/ forms appear N the influence Oi persons
/ and surroundings instead oi the mere
finding " q specific form. The latlur
/ would, Of courc hC most valuable ~ one
/ Ut the iactA ia the chain Oi evidence. but
We would not, as nov, seek sp much Ia
! look a. n ~ the course Of DISEASE M a. in
quirc what conditions have caused this or
that particular micuphytc 10 be- present.
80. We would be- able 10 account for the
| occasional oCCurrvncc 81 disease indie.
pendent Of any previous ease, aud Tor
! changing types ol disease aud now dis.
eases, and would come to trrat diseases
/ lcss 10y their names and more In view of
| their type and thc effect OF surroundings
/ upon thcm.
"a. Thctcndcncy NJ al this Il tn magnify
/ the importance oi clo'e observation, AMI
/ Ia lead W. 10 feel that success in wnrdinr
| un disease, and In TREATING II when ID an
| pcnn. depends mostly upon close ohsrrva-
| ton and that experienced which il derived
from actual practice"
TIM PREVENTION oF DISEASES
nr. Ezra VI Hunt, SECRETARY II the New
Jcruy state board OF health. rad a paper
ON the subject "l'hc Prevention oi Mirco.
phytic Diseases by Individual Prophy.
laNis.' d. Hunt took the ground that
the experiments and succosscs At Jcnncr
aud rlstcur demonstrated the wisdom of
incubation, aud De- held Il Ia be- also a
demonstrated fact that the blood may be-
M changed with antidOlal agents M to rive
the individual practical immunity against
pcstilcncc. In closing Dr. Hunt said.
with this new evidence believe the
time has come Tor thorough testing, both
10y the practitioner and the biological in
ycsiigitor Of this new method oi prevent.
ing aud controlling disease. There are
now many who believe that the real action
Of some II our most successful remedies i
Just this Tho mitigation or prevention oi
a microphytic disease does not necessarily
mean the destruction Of the organism hut
is inhibition IN loco or the modification
Of liz chemical action on the tissues or ils
products IN ~ a. render u harmless. II h